TECHNOLOGY:
THE GOOD
THE BAD
THE UGLY
Season 1, Episode 1
In this episode, presenter Olivia Stanhope, will be exploring the ways in which technology can impact both our physical and mental health. She will be meeting with victims of online fraud and bullying as well as meeting with a medical professional to discuss how spending too much time on our phones can cause damage to our health.
Screen time
Eye strain - This occurs when we spend too much time on our devices because our eyes become tired from constantly staring at a screen. Spending as little as 2 hours on a device can cause eye strain which can lead to a variety of other symptoms such as: dry eyes, headaches and light sensitivity.
Headaches - The headaches you may be experiencing after spending prolonged periods of time on a screen are probably due to eye strain. Eye strain most commonly causes 'tension headaches' and the symptoms of these headaches are if the headache gets better with rest, if there is pain behind your eyes or if it occurs after spending time on a device. If these are some of your symptoms, make sure you spend some time away from screens so that you can recover.
Insomnia - Too much time on our devices before we go to sleep can cause shifts in our sleeping patterns due to the blue light emitted from our screens. The blue night tricks our brains into thinking that it's day time therefore our body struggles to go to sleep.
Weight gain - There has been strong evidence to suggest that increased screen time can lead to weight gain. Being inactive for long periods of time replaces time that could be spent being active. We are also more likely to view advertisement for fast food and end up passively eating more than is needed.
Poor posture - Whilst being on our screens, we often sit in awkward positions which can result in back and neck pain. It is therefore important to regularly doing posture checks or standing up and taking a walk.
Dizziness - Also known as 'Cybersickness' is caused from spending prolonged amounts of time on our devices and commonly occurs after scrolling too fast or watching an action-packed video. To prevent this, look away from your screen, take a walk and reduce blue-light exposure.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MILLIE EVANS
Social media really affected my mental health and I want to share how I won the battle to a healthy, balanced lifestyle
"When deciding to become an influencer I knew that it wouldn't be easy...I've been body-shamed and ridiculed however, I never expected to receive death threats. So I started up my own YouTube account to address this issue and share with you guys how I coped with such an overwhelming amount of hatred and how I overcame it."
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Top tips for staying safe online:
Outsmart scammers
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Ignore suspicious links
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Verify source of emails
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Never provide personal details
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Install latest software
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Strong passwords
